Smart Money Magazine asks us – can aging be stylish?

Yesterday, Smart Money Magazine posted an article: Can a Medic Alert System be Stylish. They discussed grab bars, Personal Emergency Response Systems, Wearable Pendants, etc. GMU’s Andy Carle, Age in Place Tech Watch’s Laurie Orlov and AgeTek’s own Peter Radsliff all weighed in on solutions and adoption of technology to “age in place”.

I think this is a very important topic to address. People don’t want to use systems/devices that make them “feel” geriatric, old or disabled. That is the reason that the systems need to be viewed more like we view every day conveniences..think of railings on stairs, alarm clocks, smart phones, online calendar/reminders, appointment books, etc. All of these we use every day because they are helpful and they assist EVERYONE. Systems that enable a person to stay independent and at home should be viewed in a similar fashion. Nobody wants to have the scarlet pendant of aging, instead they want to be able to self-enable with gadgets, technologies, design, etc. If we design systems like GrandCare Systems that has many features that ANYBODY would enjoy, it is much more likely that a person will accept. I use GrandCare Systems in my home every day and my two toddler boys do too. We use it for different reasons, using the same alerts, cognitive assists, reminders, family calendar, etc that the system provides. Everyone benefits from convenience, safety, communication, etc. (Think of the iPad). I would NEVER be able to keep track of my schedule without my iPhone reminding me of EVERYTHING. Why should it be so different with non tech-savvy individuals? Check out my entry on why I believe Gen X-ers should also be adopting these technologies as early adopters: http://wp.me/pyOLA-dx Thanks for the article – short answer: YES, aging can and SHOULD be stylish and graceful! Laura Mitchell GrandCare Systems www.grandcare.com

What are your thoughts???

Read their article here: Can a Medic Alert System Be Stylish? – SmartMoney.com http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/technology/now-in-vogue-grandpas-gadgets-1299712884177/#ixzz1GJrWJD00